VENTURA : Broken Pipe Disrupts Traffic, Water Service

A foot-wide water pipe buried beneath Foothill Road in Ventura ruptured late Tuesday, spewing thousands of gallons of water and mud onto the street and closing it to traffic for at least three days, public works officials said.

Water and mud caused severe erosion to a portion of Foothill Road between Hamilton Avenue and Court Avenue, prompting city traffic engineers to close the thoroughfare to through traffic.

It could take road crews three to five days and $100,000 to repair the street, officials said.

The water line broke about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, gushing for six hours before water crews could shut off the pipeline and divert traffic. Officials on Wednesday were still investigating what went wrong.

“The break is on a crossing over a barranca and the slope had brush on it, so we’re clearing that to see what transpired and what needs to be repaired,” said Greg Morehead, the city’s utilities manager.

Morehead said water was shut off to about 20 homes around the 4000 block of Foothill Road for several hours, but service was restored by noon Wednesday.

The water line that ruptured serves several hundred households in east Ventura. Officials recommend that westbound Foothill Road motorists use Day Road to Loma Vista Road, and eastbound drivers use Hillmont Road to Loma Vista Road.